"bad pool header"

I am not able to log directly onto AOL. Everytime I try, my computer crashes and I get a blue screen with the message "Bad Pool Header". I don't have time to read the rest of the message because the computer shuts down and then restarts. When I avoid AOL and keep it disabled in the start menu, then the computer is fine. I can access the internet through explorer, and this works ok. Why just AOL?

Just guessing since you did not say what OS you are using or what version of AOL software. First you might see if you have Adware or Firewall software settings that keep AOL from loading properly. Then check MSCONFIG at the startup tab to see if you have waol turned off. (Start - Run - msconfig and then go to the startup tab) Turn back on anything that might involve AOL.

If all that does not work try to uninstall the AOL Client software and reload it after you have done a reboot and maybe even run CCleaner. If you have AOL emails saved on your PC you might want to save them in another format first. (I say that because I usually delete all remaining folders when I do a software uninstall)

I hope this helps. I am a bit rusty on AOL since I gave up on them when I got tired of them thinking they controlled my computer instead of me.

I am using Windows Vista and AOL 9.1. I have the aol turned off in the startup because if it is turned on my computer goes directly to the AOL connection, gets the blue screen and turns off. I can't even turn on my computer unless the AOL is off in the start up. I can get to it through Explorer. I also tried to uninstall it and it won't go away - very frustration.

My real concern is the bad pool header - that is a computer malfunction, no? Not really an AOL function - or am I wrong on that.

Seahawk - I feel your pain but I bet you are more computer saavy than I am. It still helps to have other ideas when troubleshooting. I have even had computer illiterate people come up with ideas that solved problems in the past. Here are a few more things to try:

Try to grab the "Stop" number off the bottom of the screen from the BSOD and google that to see if anyone else has the same issue. You could also see if your graphics card has any driver updates and perhaps update all your drivers. My bet is that Vista's drivers are causing your computer malfunction so even chipset drivers could be part of the issue. Then you could swap memory sticks or reduce the amount of memory and see if the issue pops up again (Just to see if there is a memory issue)

oh yeah - instead of using the AOL 9.1client you can check your email using aolmail.aol.com (Until you get this solved)

Let me know if you find out what works and I will add it to my list (I have friends and family who are getting machines with Vista so I am sure I will run into this again in the future) Good luck sir

i have just recently started getting the bad pool header warning,with the blue screen.I have awindows xp home version.i was browsing the internet and found someone had a problem due to the wifi connection.I also have recently installed it,but it had been working fine.just recently i have started getting the message of bad pool header.it comes out of the blue,when im surfing on the net.any ideas?

I don't have Vista or use AOL, but a neighbor had this blue screen/bad pool_header issue and asked if I could take a look. After figuring out it was an AOL conflict, I removed and re-installed AOL, restarted the computer and same issue again.

I then looked in the control panel and noticed a bunch of devices named isatap.{number string}. There were some in there with AOL 9 and when I installed AOL 9.1, there seemed to be even more of them.

I have been dealing with this problem for months. I even got my previous vista machine replaced under warranty because it kept happening. This is a serious Vista/AOL conflict. And now it is happening with my new, my brand new vista machine.

The only fix I can find is to do a system restore, but the previous poster is right. It will be back in a few days or a week.

We need to get AOL and Microsoft to start working on this immediately. Does anyone have a support agreement with Microsoft? I don't want to pay $60 for them to fix this bug when they should be fixing it already. I have been sending problem reports to MS for months and they still do not have a fix. What a load of bull. I thought the problem reporting in vista was supposed to take care of problems like this. If you try to contact someone at aolo you get India online and they are no help. They just tell you to reinstall AOL which as reported above, does not help.

Can anyone get this reported to AOL and MS to someone who will actually do something? When this happened to me earlier this year I was the only one, now it looks like more people are having problems. We need to get this fixed.

Just found the cause of the problem that my neighbor is having. AOL installs a file named atwpkt2.sys. This is the same name asa Windows system file. When you try to launch AOL, there is a conflict and you get the BSOD.

I ran a search for this file name and then deleted the instance that lived in the AOL directory. I left the one in the Windows directory alone. Restarted and all was well.

Be forewarned, though. When I installed version 9.1, AOL had put the file back and again the BSOD showed. I then just deleted the instance from the aol directory and things were Ok again. As I am not an AOL user, I don't know if every update will install this file or not.

Also, if you remove the file in the Windows directory instead of the AOL dir, upon restart, Windows will put another instance of this file into the Windows dir and you will be in the same situation.

This seems like a simple thing for AOL to fix, and it is very annoying that they have not - and I am not even a customer. Either live off the Windows file, or name your version something else.